Catamenial pad holding device



- Oct. 27, 1942.- E, R, ORANDQ 2,300,001

CATAMENIAL PAD HOLDING DEVICE Filed March 18, 1942 I IN VENTOR. EMHNL/EL RMaRH/vno Z ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GATAMENIAL PAD HOLDING DEVICE Emanuel R. Morando, New York, N. Y. Application March 18, 1942, Serial No. 435,154

4 Claims.

This invention relatesgenerally to womens wear or apparel and has particular reference to a sanitary catamenial appliance;

Heretofore absorbent pads or appliances of this type have been used with the aid of members which have included cords, tape or bands, fastening elements of the safety pin type, as well as particular articles of apparel, and one of the objects of this invention is the provision of a clamping device for holding pads with which members as aforesaid are not required.

Another of'the present objects, is therefore, the provision of a sanitary device and pads, for use by women, which may be applied instantly, such as by a single manual movement, and which thereaftenby its own structure, may efliciently remain in the applied position, and the clamping or pad holding device sterilized as desired.

A feature of this invention, combined with high eflicience of a novel nature, is simplicity, and therefore on being first seen by a prospective user, in accordance with yet another of the objects involved, the manner in which the device is placed in its effective position, andthe manner in. which it remains in place, may be readily seen.

Still another object at present aimed at, is to provide a device or pad of this nature which may be effective to inspire its owner with confidence, it being appreciated that the exact time 1 at which an absorbent pad may be required is not known beforehand. For this reason users of catamenial pads, which latter have required some considerable manipulation in order to place them in position, have been obliged to wear such 2 pads when not really required, and at other times it has heretofore happened that, when such pads were required unexpectedly soon, and consequently not then in place, considerable embarrassment has been caused. Inconveniences such as-these last mentioned may therefore be eliminated with the instant pad, which, moreover, is so small and compact as to be easy to carry at all times, at least at times approaching the probable times at which such pads may actually be required.

The device includes an absorbent pad element of the nature of former pads, but with no member such as any of those aforesaid, attached thereto or connected therewith.

Another feature of this invention, is a pad support having resilient fingers or spring strips adapted to assume different positions. In a closed position the pad is carried within the easy to carry in any convenient place, such as in a box within a handbag or pocket-book.

, One constructional yieldable material, which is suitable for said fingers, is whalebone. As well as said closed position, the resilient fingers have a-substantially open position, and they may-instantly, manually, be changed from the closed to the open position. In the open position the location of the pad becomes outermost. In this latter position, with the pad outermost, the spring fingers are held with the hand, that is, grasped by the fingers of the hand, and there held against outward springing action. In this way, the pad isplaced directly against the vulva, in the usual place, and the spring fingers are released. Said spring fingers then suitably expand, pointing downwardly and outwardly, and holdingly engage against the thighs. On each side or thigh, one finger may be about central, with other fingers'spaced from it and at the front and back thereof, as shall hereinafter appear in detail.

With the above indicated objects and advantages in view, as well as others which will hereinafter appear, this invention resides in certain novel constructions and arrangements of parts,

the essential features of which are herein fully position;

Figure 3 is'a side view in which the device is open, and with the spring fingers moved together further than in normal use;

Figure 4 is a view of the device as found in use;

F'igure'5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Figure 4; w

' Figure 6 is an enlarged cross section of a spring 'finger on line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 shows a spring finger embedded in a suitable soft covering;

Figure 8 shows a spring finger with a rubber tip portion;

fingers, and the device, being of small bulk, is 55 drawing, the" device includes a whalebone struc-' ture having resilient or yieldable fingers or strips III, II and I2. Opposite to these fingers or also similar finger or strips I3, I4, I5.

In the present instance the fingers II), I2 and I 3, I are formed integrally from one piece, it being seen that they are joined at the central part I6, and the fingers II, I4 are also formed from a single piece, having a center I'l centers of the two pieces shown herein are joined together by an eyelet I 8.

The whalebone from which the spring fingers are formed'is of a depth or thickness, and width, which are suitable for the required strength, but I have found a depth of about one-sixteenth of an inch, and a width of about one-fourth of an inch to give satisfactory results. i Also, when the spring fingers, such as each member II, or I4, are about three inches in length, the assembled device functions satisfactorily, butother dimensions, as well as other materials, may be used. It follows, for example, that a stronger and more rugged assembly than thatwhich is illustrated maybe constructed, and although the drawing is of a diagrammatic nature, as in Figures 1-4, all fingers and members are-suitably beveled entirely therearound, as may be seen from the sectional showing of Figure 6, at 2|, 22.

An absorbent pad forms part of the assembly, and this may be of usual-material, and also of dimensions substantially as known in practice. The pad 29, which may have a covering'of fabric, such as cheese cloth material, should however, be about'an inch in depth and of certain yieldability, since it is held in position by pressure of the central part or seat I6, I! of the supporting means. The pad may have thereon at the back central part, which engages the support It, I'I, adhesive material so that when the latter is moistened, it may become attached to said support. The pad 20 is accordingly readily removable'from the support, as suchpad may be exchanged for a new .one' as often as found necessary. It is a feature of the. whalebone, in this respect,-that it retains its efficient qualities for a.relatively long period-of time.

If desired the resilient fingers may be expanded .or of an enlarged nature terminally, at their free ends,.as shown in Figure 1 to assure ease of wear. Said fingers also may be formed with bends B or waves, in order to increase their holding efficiency, as against the fleshy parts or thighs of a user.

The device is shown in Figure 1 in fiat position, and in Figure 2 in certain closed or folded position. When required for use, as taken from the Figure 2 position, the fingers III-I2, I3-I5 are turned into approximatelythe Figure 3 position, and thus held with the fingers of one hand therearound.

In this position, it is seen that the pad 20 is on the outer side. Then, merely with said hand, the pad 20 is placed directly in the required place, against the passage end, "on the vulva, and when the'pressure OIiIlWELI'd urgeis suificient the fingers=-IlI--I2, I3I5 are released, whereupon to lightly engage thethigh' parts 28-, 29 thereat, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

The central members, as II, I4 are then central; or projecting direotly'downwardly, themedial and outwardly inclined parts of thefingers 3!}, 3I, 32, 33-are also'disposedrespectively forwardly and backwardly, .and the ends or'terminals of said fingers, as I2, II], are likewise directed substantially directlydownwardly.

As in Figure 5, it is seen that the central members, the member. II being shown, ,may not be Theexactly at the nearest portions of the thighs, but rather forwardly thereof. This tends to incline the front end 34 of the pad upwardly, and the other end 35 downwardly, which is the practical and engaging position for said pad. In Figure 5, for example, the finger end I0, and the corresponding finger on the opposite side, are in position below and at the buttocks. This positioning and finger engagement tend to hold the pad correctly in the engaged position during bodily and leg movement.

The outer strip members, as I0, I2, have certain bends therein, this being where the end portions are continuous with the outwardly inclined portions 30, 3| and the free ends of the strips, from said bends, as shown, as substantially parallel. At said bends, also, the material of the strips'may be slightly turned, so that the planes of the outer end portions (see the members III, I 2, Figure 5) are out of parallelism with the plane of the central end portions. This turning of the outer I terminal portions I0, I2, I3, I5, causes them to fit flatwise' against the thighs, at the arcuate transversecurve lines thereof.

The illustrations selected for disclosure in the instant invention are representative of preferred positions, and others may be used in practice, it being understood, for example, that, in the positioning of Figure 4, the spring fingers may be closed more closely together, or the reverse, depending upon the distance apart of the upper portions of the thighs. This distance may be more or less, in different individuals, and in different devices.

The showing of Figure 9 is identical with the other embodiments, except that all six spring members extend from one central piece 4! or support.

In Figure '7 the spring fingers are embedded in-anysuitable covering 45, which may or may not be integrally formed with the pads.

In Figure 8 the springs are shown covered with a rubbertip- 46,-that may be attached and'removed therefrom.

In Figure 10, mydevice with pads, is shown arranged in a sanitary covering 41 within a suitable container or box 48.

Variations other than those illustrated maybe resorted to withinthe scope of. the invention and parts of the improvements maybe used without others.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States of America, is as follows:

1. A catamenial pad holding device of the class described comprising a pad support having on opposite sides-thereof two groups of spring fingers, each group including a central member having a base part and a terminalportion, front and back' members on opposite sides of the central member-and having'respectively forwardly and outwardly inclined and backwardly and outward- 1y inclined base parts, and freeportions extending. from said parts and having rounded and expanded terminals thereon.

2. As an articleof manufacture, a catamenial pad holdingdevicehaving closed and open positions including a central supporting portion having an absorbent .pad thereon, and resilient fin- .gers extending from said portion and having,

.tially. opposite positions, the pad being on the outermost side of the support in the open position.

3. A catamenial pad holding device of the class described comprising a supporting portion having on the top thereof an absorbent pad for engaging the vulva, two opposed lateral groups of resilient and yieldable fingers extending from said support, each group including a central base part for engaging the upper parts of the thighs, front and back base parts on opposite sides of the cen- 10 tral parts and spaced therefrom, said front and back parts adapted to follow the convex form of the thighs, and downwardly disposed parts extending from the base parts and also adapted to engage the thighs. .7

4. A catamenial pad holding device according to claim 3, in which said base parts are formed with wavy edges.

EMANUEL R. MORANDO. 

